Tag: Mike Francesa

Our friends at The Jets Blog have touched on this but in case you haven’t seen the clip yet, enjoy…

Poor Mike still can’t get Rex or any of the Jets on his show. Bottom line is the Jets have been better than the Giants the past two years and have had more headlines than any other professional sports team in the country in that time and it kills Francesa that he can’t get a single member of the team on his show. Say what you want about Rex and the Jets, but they are interesting and a journalist’s dream with their myriad of the headlines. So do Rex a favor to help shut Francesa up, go buy the guy’s book. I am half way through it and it is a must read for any Jets fan. I will have a full review in the coming days for both TOJ and Gunaxin.

1. Jason Taylor and Nick Mangold both practiced today and are expected to start Sunday night. Mangold is playing with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder and if he encounters too much, Rob Turner will be subbed in. Backup tackle Wayne Hunter won’t be making the trip, which means Vladimir Ducasse will be active for the first time in his NFL career and will be the extra tackle in the Jets jumbo package.

2. Wide receiver Patrick Turner has been moved to the active roster and will likely be a game captain, considering Rex Ryan’s love of making players game captains when they are facing their former teams. Offensive tackle Patrick Brown was waived in a corresponding move.

3. After hearing what Mike Francesa said this week about the Jets organization and how he treated Peter Schwartz…there is no other conclusion to reach except that he is a disrespectful, hypocritical, bitter individual who is lacking knowledge on major issues in the NFL. It is okay when the Giants start Kareem McKenzie in 2008 two days after a DUI. Francesa even let Tom Coughlin on his show to defend the decision. It is okay when the Dolphins don’t suspend Ronnie Brown for a DUI in March. Francesa even let Tony Sparano on his show this week and didn’t challenge him on the issue. It is okay for Francesa to question the character of Mike Tannenbaum, who was always respectful to him but not Bill Parcells who allowed Lawrence Taylor to be a coked up maniac, as long as it didn’t get in the way of the Giants winning. All I can advise Jets fans to do is enjoy how much every victory for Rex Ryan and crew will bother Francesa and inspire pathetic, twisted excuses from him. Keep hating Mike, the Jets are the number one story in this town right now, not your Giants (not even close), not even your Yankees. I just can’t wait until December when the Giants are out of playoff contention and the Jets are battling for a division title to hear how he divides up discussion time on the show, when nobody from the Jets organization will go near him for good reason.

Jets vs. Dolphins Round 1: 12 Pack of Predictions

1. I think the Jets will hold Braylon Edwards out the entire first quarter. After he is subbed in during the second quarter, he will do what he did to the Dolphins secondary last year. They simply don’t have somebody who can match up with him.

2. Miami is going to be focusing their coverage on Dustin Keller, which means Jerricho Cotchery needs to step up in a big way. Sanchez and him just missed on a few big plays last week, so hopefully they can get on the same page for Sunday night.

3. Shonn Greene will get more than the 15 carries he got last week, while LaDainian Tomlinson will be in the 14-16 total touches range.

4. Either Brad Smith or LaDainian Tomlinson will throw a pass tomorrow night.

5. The Jets will do something tricky on special teams. Mike Westhoff has had this game circled on his calendar after the way Miami embarrassed the Jets special team unit last year in their second meeting.

6. Antonio Cromartie will hold Brandon Marshall under 65 yards receiving. Kyle Wilson will play his best game as a pro, considering the drop in competition he is facing after the first two weeks.

7. Mark Sanchez won’t have the gaudy stat line he did from week two, but will put together an efficient, turnover free performance.

8. Even though he has struggled so far this season, Ricky Williams will have a few big plays, like he always does against the Jets.

9. If he frequently gets matched up with Drew Coleman or Dwight Lowery, Davone Bess will put together a strong performance in the slot.

10. Chad Henne will push the ball down the field more than he has so far this season, resulting in a few big plays but also a turnover or two.

11. Jason Taylor will have at least one sack. Nick Mangold is going to have to come out at some point because of pain in his shoulder, yet Rob Turner will hold his own.

12. The Jets are going to have a gut-check performance, playing without Darrelle Revis, Calvin Pace, Kris Jenkins and a banged up Nick Mangold, along with dealing with the Braylon Edwards drama. They will scratch out a hard fought, close victory, thanks to a trick play or two, along with a big turnover created by their defense. I am taking the Jets 17-13.

Other NFL Picks (Lines from BetUs)

Titans (+3) vs. Giants

Bills (+16) vs. Patriots

Browns (+11.5) vs. Ravens

Steelers (-4.5) vs. Bucs

Bengals (-4.5) vs. Panthers

Falcons (+4) vs. Saints

Chiefs (+4.5) vs. 49ers

Lions (+10.5) vs. Vikings

Texans (-3) vs. Cowboys

Redskins (-4.5) vs. Rams

Eagles (-4.5) vs. Jaguars

Colts (-7) vs. Denver

Chargers (-6.5) vs. Seahawks

Raiders (+4.5) vs. Cardinals

Jets (+2) vs. Dolphins

Packers (-4.5) vs. Bears

Some DirectTV Love

Are you a JETS fan living outside the NY/NJ area? Do you sit at home on Sundays praying for your local CBS or FOX affiliate to show Revis and the Jets? If you are, and you want to go to the Super Bowl in Dallas to meet your favorite player from the Jets, then you have to prove it to DIRECTV.

For the third year in a row DIRECTV is seeking to find America’s most die-hard displaced NFL Fan and award them a trip for two to Dallas, two tickets to the Super Bowl, and a radio interview tour with a player from their team. All you need to do is submit a video, essay and/or photo to www.ultimatedisplacedfan.comand show why you are America’s most die-hard displaced NFL Fan. In 2008, the DIRECTV Ultimate Displaced Fan winner was a Cowboys fan who recreated a replica Old Texas Stadium in his two car garage. Last year’s winner was a Steelers fan who created a music video about his death and return as a zombie. With a little bit of creativity, or just straight passion, you may be able to live every fan’s dream and watch the Super Bowl live. Here is an example of exactly what you can WIN if you are declared America’s Ultimate Displaced Fan, an honorable mention, or vote for your favorite submission on the UDF site.

So let’s go displaced Jets fans. It’s time to show that we are the most widespread and the most passionate!

The New York Jets are arguably the most talked about team in the NFL heading into the 2010 season. Without argument being necessary, they have talked more than any team in the NFL heading into the 2010 season. Rex Ryan is a brash and confident individual, who hasn’t toned down his personality since becoming a head coach and his mentality has trickled down to the entire organization to an extent.

The result is that you either love him or hate him, along with either loving or hating the 2010 Jets. Fans obviously admire the swagger and confidence brought to an organization desperately in need of it, while other players or coaches have praised his approach. Defending Super Bowl champion head coach, Sean Payton, has repeatedly complimented the mentality Ryan has brought to the Jets and how he runs his team. Adam Schefter reported players were texting their agents how badly they wanted to play for Rex Ryan after watching Hard Knocks.

However, Rex Ryan and the Jets have brought out a particular vitriolic hate out of some individuals heading into the season. You can already picture them huddled around the TV screen tomorrow, anxiously waiting for the Giants to get a first down on the Jets defense so they could get out of a few nasty comments on Rex Ryan and the overrated, overhyped Jets. You can allow these haters to get under your skin or you can realize Rex and the Jets are having a good time, and they’re just trying to ruin it. Sit back and enjoy your 2010 New York Jets because they are going to be good and they aren’t going to be shy about letting you know it. However, here is a guide to those who will be stammering and twisting their face with each Jets victory this year:

Mike Francesa – The iconic radio personality from WFAN can’t stand Rex Ryan and really since Bill Parcells left, can’t stand the New York Jets. Francesa has been particularly vicious with the Jets lately because nobody from their organization will go on his show after he spent all of December and January ripping them apart, despite their playoff run. He also nearly fell out of his chair after watching the first episode of Hard Knocks. Francesa tore into the “classless” Jets and their “bumbling” head coach, while Giants fans called in so they could all shake their heads in shame together and wonder why the Jets couldn’t be more dignified like the New York Giants. How could Rex Ryan curse like that? How could he? You would think the guy was beating up small children on national television, instead of using expletives when talking to his football team at 10 PM on premium cable. Clearly, no other coaches have ever cursed in NFL history.

Francesa will find any possible way to avoid giving the Jets credit when they win football games. He has completely sided with Darrelle Revis in his contract dispute and is calling the New Meadowlands “Giants Stadium 2.” If the Jets start the season 6-0, Francesa will attribute it to luck. Remember he knows more about football than Rex Ryan, regardless of how good the Jets defense in in 2010.

New York Giants Fans – A quick aside for Giants fans, stop calling into the local radio shows and acting like the best teams in your history weren’t led by a linebacker fueled by cocaine and hookers. The word “classless” is thrown around so easily as a shot at Ryan and the Jets it is ridiculous. The Jets don’t have to take the same approach as the Giants to football. You can hate on Rex Ryan all you want but his team didn’t quit on him the final two games of the regular season last year. Worry about your own team. I am aware your organization has a much better history and has won substantially more, yet at this moment the Jets are a better team and deserve more headlines.

Mike Florio – Every other article Florio has written this off-season has been about the Jets. Mike Tannenbaum is on the hot seat. Rex Ryan is overweight. LaDainian Tomlinson is washed up. Braylon Edwards is a jerk and can’t catch. Mark Sanchez isn’t going to be a good quarterback in the NFL. Joe Namath shouldn’t be in the hall of fame. Darrelle Revis is right in his contract dispute. New York smells bad (yes he wrote an article deriding the smell of the city as part of the news on his site). The Jets won’t go back to the playoffs in 2010. NBC, I’m in the same company. Give me a commercial during Sunday Night Football in a fancy suit in front of a laptop on a cell phone, like you did for Florio. I can call people names and pick on the teams I don’t like, while passing it off as news. I promise I will never report that Terry Bradshaw died when he didn’t and won’t use the same stale jokes referencing The Office and Seinfeld.

Armando Salguero – Dolphins beat writer who constantly wags his finger at the Jets for lacking class, neglecting the parade of Dolphins who have recently been arrested and the way GM Jeff Ireland conducts business.

Message Board/Website Trolls – I always love hearing from the Dolphins and Patriots fans who take the time to visit the Jets ESPN Message Board to express their displeasure with the team. I also thoroughly enjoy the derogatory comments they leave for me here at TOJ, which I have the ability to erase since I do run the site and all. So please, keep visiting the site, giving me hits, taking the time to curse me out and calling me elaborate slurs (greasy Jets loving meatball was my favorite)…we appreciate the support. Also, keep waking up in the morning and saying “man Rex Ryan makes me so mad, I am going on the Jets message board instead of my own team’s to talk about how much I hate him. That will show those Jets fans.”

Easy responses to common Jets bashing

“Rex Ryan is a bumbling idiot” – He is a head coach in the NFL, what do you do?

“Mark Sanchez is terrible” – He won two playoff games his rookie year, how many playoff games did your quarterback win his rookie year?

“Their defense isn’t elite” – It was ranked number one in the NFL last year, hence it is elite.

1. A friendly reminder that comments from people who never had a comment go through before the past week are locked in pending. The ones you see going through are from people who had posted before that. Until the Fanball technical crew fixes this, I will transcribe your comments myself under my name but with a POST FROM ___ above, as you can see in our recent articles. Keep the comments coming and keep the conversation going, and for god’s sake follow Turn On The Jets on Facebook and Twitter (TurnOnTheJets).

How To Spot Bandwagon Jets Fans

Who would have thought the New York Jets…the ugly stepchild of New York football would ever have bandwagon fans? Well it is starting to happen, as the Jets have climbed into relevancy thanks to a run to the AFC Championship Game, a collection of flashy trades/free agent signings/ draft picks, the most entertaining coach in professional sports, and now a spot on HBO’s Hard Knocks. How can you separate these fans who just decided to come along for the party now, without paying their dues of suffering and misery. TOJ has the guide:

– They are wearing either a Brett Favre or LaDainian Tomlinson jersey – First off, if you expected Favre to be on the Jets for more than one year, you were out of your mind and wasted your money on a jersey. Second, anybody wearing the Favre jersey likely hopped on in 2008 because “I’ve always loved Favre man” or because they thought he would carry the Jets to a Super Bowl…guess again, he flamed out in December. This is the Jets we are talking about and again this is Brett Favre we are talking about, who has now made a career of melting down in big spots. Tomlinson jerseys? Really? You really think he is going to be on the team for more than 1 season? A smarter investment would have been any other of the Jets new acquisitions or maybe their starting running back who is entering his second season in the NFL. Hey, at least you didn’t get a tattoo of “LT” on your calf or anything.

– They think Mark Sanchez is awesome – Look, I am as excited about Sanchez’s potential as the next fan and loved the way he played in the playoffs but you can’t be walking around going “bro, Sanchez is awesome.” I am sorry but if you watched the Jets last year, you know Sanchez threw 8 more interceptions than TDs and still has to prove himself as a franchise quarterback or anything near “awesome.” If you are talking about the caliber of women Sanchez dates…then yes he is “awesome.”

– They don’t know who Sione Pouha, Mike DeVito, or Brandon Moore are – If you start talking about any of these guys and a “Jets fan” tells you they don’t know who you are talking about, then you have spotted one. Or, if you are watching a game and one of the three does something or gets mentioned, and you get a “who the hell is that, anyway?” you found one. Sione Pouha started every game after week 6 last season and was terrific at nose tackle. Mike DeVito is going to be a starter this year and played a ton last season. Brandon Moore is one of the best guards in the NFL. He was better than Alan Faneca last season.

– They cheer against the Jets on a particular play because somebody on their fantasy roster made a big play – Sorry guy, I don’t care how much you paid to get into your fantasy league, you don’t cheer when Maurice Jones-Drew rumbles in for a touchdown against the Jets defense. You don’t cheer when anybody scores or makes a big play against the Jets defense. You don’t cheer when Sanchez throws an interception. You don’t cheer when Nick Folk shanks a 28 yard field goal because the kid you are playing is starting him at kicker.

– They agree with anything Mike Francesa or Mike Florio says about the Jets – Two chronic Jets haters who always go out of their way to find a negative angle about the team and take a shot at Rex Ryan (Francesa) or Mike Tannenbaum (Florio). Francesa is just bitter and likes to bother people because it is entertaining radio and I think Florio was beaten up for his lunch money by Jets fans when he was a kid.

– They don’t think Jerricho Cotchery is a good receiver – If you have actually watched every Jets game since 2006, you would never say something like “thank god, they got Holmes, Cotchery can’t handle being a starting receiver.” Actually, yes he can and he was handling being a number one receiver just fine before the Braylon trade last year. I admit he is a better fit as a #2 but anybody who thinks he isn’t a more than capable starter just hasn’t watched him play.

– They own a Giants jersey – Should I have to say anything? You can get jerseys from other teams, if you were younger and just wanted to get all the best players at the position you played but those other teams can’t include the Giants, Dolphins, Patriots, or Bills. I remember back in 8th grade, I had a sweet Issac Bruce Rams jersey because I was a monster on those recreation football fields at receiver. Of course, I also had a Chrebet and Keyshawn Johnson jersey but there was nothing wrong with wearing the ‘Ike back in the day. However, once you are over 16 you should be committing money to only your favorite team. I remember my one friend had a Kevin Johnson Browns jersey in high school. Yes, it was cool and rare at the time but where is that jersey now?